Hi all. I'm trying to seperate the linestring created within the 3D model of a Subsurface utilities design file. The line is created when you open a profile model of a link, and is placed in accordance with the way you defined your links to be placed (Soffit, Center or invert). I think it is created in the layer defined by the template for the 3D part of the link. So if I were to have a pink colour for the 3D element of the pipe, the centerline of the pipe would also be pink. My entrepeneur requests that only the linestring is to be wieved, since only "simple" elements can be read by the machinery. I'm guessing he would like the option to only view simple elements of the drainage project.So if anyone know of a way, to where I can turn off the "cirkular pipe" in the 3D model, control the level of the 3D linestring in the links without changing the level of the modelled pipe or in any way shape or form extract only the centerline of the link, it would be greatly appriciated.
I know I could merge the 3D model of the design file, into a new file and seperate them there, but as we all know extra steps means greater chance of failure and increased cost.
Hi Jan,
You could use Element Selection to select all of the linestrings on that level, and copy them to an empty level.
Would it help if the software gave you the ability to put the linestring for each pipe on a different level to the solid automatically? I would appreciate some more information on why you're trying to achieve this - just so that I have a more complete picture.
Regards,
Jon
Hi Jonathan and thank you for replying According to a one of the entrepreneurs, having a "simple" element such as a linestring and/or point, would make it possible for the machine operator to put into his machine and then be able to guide his bucket acording to the linestrings and points. These points and linestrings are created within the correct coordinate system of the project, and his machinery is set up to the same coordinate system. The thing is, the software in his machine can, according to the entrepreneur, only read "simple" elements such as lines and points. (See badly edited picture for reference) The red lines and points indicate what the entrepreneur would like to have at his disposal.
So if there was a way to control that centerline that is created in the bottom of the pipe (since I'm placing pipes by invert elevation) to have it's own layer, the machine operator would be able to only have that layer turned on, and I would be able to produce a file that would satisfy him.Alternatively I would have to change all of the cells for my manholes, so pipes will connect to the center of the manhole, and I would have to run a key-in script that would construct top and bottom points along with the line going down through the center of the well.I have spend quite some time setting up these manholes, and we are using them in clash controls and I can forsee a great deal of mistakes by setting up different instances of the same models.
Hopefully some time in the not to distant future we will be able to utilize I-models back and forth with the entrepreneurs, so complications can be taken care of almost as soon as they are encountered in the field.
Thanks for the information Jan.
It looks like we need to add an extra feature symbology to the feature definition for a conduit, so that you can set the symbology (level, colour, style etc.) for this linear element.
It also looks like you want a two-point line string to be created for every node, again with the ability to control its symbology. What elevation would the bottom point have? Would it be the invert of the node? I'm thinking that a node could have a sump - i.e. it could be deeper than the connecting conduits, and the elevation should reflect that.
Hi Jonathan, and thank you for your switft reply The points of the top and bottom of the node, would ideally be at the top, and bottom elevation. And then have a line connected between them.In the case where I need to have a sump on the well (we call them Sandcathment wells, since we are silly danes) the pipes connecting to the well will connect higher than the bottom elevation of the well. Often we use 0.5 m, but the sump hight can vary. I would like to have the linestring of a pipe go all the way in and connect to the centerlinestring of the well, maintaining the same slope as the pipe. The are often instances where I have 3 or more connections to a single node in different elevations.And if we stay on the subject of sumps. I can't seem to create a cell for a well that would have 0.5 m sump, and then when I create a link from or to that well, the link will connect 0.5 meter above the invert elevation of the node. I'm thinking I might have to move the contruction point in the cell up 0.5 m and just have the solid of the cell go 0.5 m below that point. But that would result in reporting invert elevations of those wells 0.5 m higher than what is intended.I do belive there are some options that can utilize sump, but I think that might only come in to play when I let a simulation update my network.I'm not advanced enough in how Bentley CAD programs work, to create key-in scripts or macros to have an extra model in my design file that can create the linestrings on the fly. Or if such a thing is even possible. I know all the information is in the designfile, but I lack the understanding and limitations of macros/scripts.I'm thinking that each node has a XYZ coordinate for it's top elevation, and since they are all lateral and have a bottom elevation, it should be possible to create bottom and top points, and the line between them.
For the links, I do belive (I might be wrong, I often am) there is XYZ coordinates for both start and end. And since they have a slope defined as well, it should be possible to create a line from the point where the pipe connects to the connection ring of the node, and to the center of the well. (Elevation at connection ring) - (radius of connection ring * slope) would give me the elevation of the string in the center of the node.I know this is a lot of extra information, but by my experience when engineers see a problem with a bit of a teaser to it, they simply can't help them selves to come up with ideas.
Hope I shed some further light on my inquiries.
PS. I apologize if my english skills are insufficient.
Thanks for the extra information Jan - all understood.
Let me have a think about this, and I will get back to you (although I have some vacation coming up, so it may not be for a few weeks).
I hope you are enjoying your holiday Jonathan
I have been tinkering a bit with keyin scripts and have found a method where I can export xyz coordinates from the flex tables, and with some Excel gymnastics coupled with a rather nifty text editing program, I can get the centerstrings for the wells created allthough I have to do it in Microstation since when I do it in Power Rail Track SS4, it ignores decimals for some reason. I know I could potentially create a spreadsheet that could do the same for the links, but since theese often have bends, it would be a rather large amount of xyz coordinates to key in.
I know this is going to be something that will be required on future projects, so I need to set something up that can work later on. I was also thinking about not having a connection ring on the wells and just let the pipes connect to the center, but then all the pretty 3D visualization will go out the window, and it seems a bit excessive to have two different design files with different cell libraryes, templates, and feature definitions.
I am lazy by heart, so each extra step in a process annoys me and increase the chance of making mistakes a lot. And I shiver just to think about the amount of documentation I have to do if more files are included.I hate being smart enough to understand that there is a smarter way to do this, but dumb enough not to understand it.Thank you again for replying to my first question, and I hope you are well :)